News bites: August 13, 2016

He’s currently filming Sheriff, and he’s already agreed to reunite with director Yoon Jong-bin again (Kundo: Age of the Rampant): Jo Jin-woong is completing my dream cast by joining Lee Sung-min, Hwang Jung-min and Joo Ji-hoon in Maneuver. I wish the details on the film weren’t so stingy (all we’ve been told repeatedly is that it’ll be based on a true story about a joint project between North and South Koreans), but at least he’s keeping himself so busy I’ll barely feel the wait. He’ll film tvN’s Entourageremake and the movieAdmiral Kim Chang-soo before starting work on Maneuver. [Star News]

Adding to the cast of handsome faces, Bae Soo-bin (Twinkle Twinkle My Heart) joins Enemy Soldier as a warrior/royal guard. He’ll join forces with Lee Jung-jae to protect the crown prince (Yeo Jin-gu), and filming will begin at the end of August. Enemy Soldier is targeting a 2017 release. [Sports Chosun]

While Defendant (the drama that’ll be written by Choi Su-jin of City Hunter and will be directed by Jo Young-kwang of Hyde, Jekyll, Me) was originally supposed to follow Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart: Goryeo on SBS in the fall, the station has tweaked its Monday-Tuesday lineup. Romantic Doctor Teacher Kim, starringHan Seok-kyu, Seo Hyun-jin and Yoo Yeon-seok, will air on the heels of Moon Lovers, and will be followed by Defendant and then Advance. The latter has transformed from a medical to a cop show, and is still courtingLee Bo-young to star. [Joongang]

Jang Hyun-sung, Jin Kyung

Woman With a Suitcase has firmed up its supporting cast: Jang Hyun-sung (Doctors, Signal) is a famed chief prosecutor who now heads up a law firm. He’s a powerful person who knows the intimate secrets of his VIP clients. Jin Kyung (Uncontrollably Fond) is a shit-stirring lawyer who says what she wants, when she wants, and she’ll frequently go head-to-head with Choi Ji-woo throughout the show. Park Byung-eun (Assassination) is a negotiator and mysterious character who seems like an everyday ajusshi until he’s on the job — that’s when he’ll turn steely. Min Sung-wook (Beautiful Mind, Six Flying Dragons) is a prosecutor whom Choi Ji-woo and Joo Jin-mo will encounter in the courtroom, and Kim Byung-choon is Choi’s assistant/office manager. Woman With a Suitcase will take the timeslot vacated by Monster on SBS in September. [Osen, Joy News 24]

The script is finally complete for the third film of the Face Reader trilogy, and producer Jupiter Films is currently searching for two male actors in their late thirties to mid-forties to lead the blockbuster that has a rumored budget of 10 billion won. About two men and their secret feud to become king, Auspicious Grave will conclude the three-part saga launched by 2013’s Face Reader, which starred Song Kang-ho, Lee Jung-jae, Kim Hye-soo, Jo Jung-seok, and Lee Jong-seok. The second in the series, Compatibility, stars Shim Eun-kyung and Lee Seung-gi and will be released during the winter holidays. Pre-production on Auspicious Grave will begin in October and filming will start next February. [Joongang, Osen]

MBC has decided to extend All’s Well With a Happy Home, the weekend drama starring Lee Pil-mo, Kim So-yeon, and Lee Sang-woo, by an episode. One episode had been preempted due to the Rio Olympics and the show will now conclude with episode 51 on August 21. Blow Breeze‘s premiere has been pushed back a week to August 27. [Xports News]

Lee Dong-hwi, Lee Yuri, Lee Sang-yub, Jeon Hye-bin

‘Tis the season for KBS’s drama specials, and ten in total will air between the end of August to early September. Here are updates on a select few:

First up is Legendary Shuttle, which starsLee Ji-hoon, Seo Ji-hoon and Kim Jin-woo in a comedy about a transfer student who overcomes bullying. Yoo Oh-sung (Uncontrollably Fond), comedians Yoo Min-sang and Ryu Dahm, and broadcaster Jeon Hyun-moo will all pop in for cameos.

Lee Dong-hwi and Jung So-min are the leads in Red Teacher, a story set in the 1980s. It’s about a novel that was deemed communist propaganda and banned for its provocative nature.

In Pinocchio’s Nose, Lee Yuri is a psychologist who suspects her father (of what, the articles don’t say). The prosecutor story also stars Lee Ha-yool.

Human drama One Summer Dream is about a single father, stars Kim Hee-won, Kim Ga-eun, and Ryu Seung-soo (Beautiful Mind), and will feature a cameo from comedienne Kim Hyun-sook.

Lee Joo-seung and Kang Min-ah are the leads for youthful coming-of-age special World Without Sympathy.

Jeon Hye-bin and Park Byung-eunstar in Noodle Shop Woman, in which a guy who gives up on becoming a writer meets the woman from his sunbae’s novels. Kim Tae-woo will make a guest appearance.

Song Yoon-ah, Taecyeon, Kim Jae-hyun

In fantasy melo My Happy Home, a woman will turn the man she loves into a cyborg. (That sounds a little wacky, but it’s a drama special, so anything is fair game.) Lee Sang-yub, Sohn Yeo-eun, and Park Hana are the leads, while Song Yoon-ah and Taecyeon will guest appear in support of their Assembly director Choi Yoon-seok. Lee Il-hwa will drop in for a cameo as well. [DongA, My Daily]

In his acting debut, Kim Jae-hyun (of rock group N.Flying, and little brother to Rainbow’s Kim Jae-kyung) joins the cast of Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-ju as a swim team staff member and friend of the male lead (Nam Joo-hyuk). He has a habit of dating women, then ghosting them, and thus is hated by all his female peers. The drama will be written by Yang Hee-seung (Oh My Ghostess, High School King of Savvy), directed by Oh Hyun-jong (A Daughter Like You, A New Leaf) and will premiere in November on MBC. [Joongang]

August 14, 2016 at 6:27 PM

UNREGISTERED

i mean in a year. 3 movie and 2 drama in a year with him as the lead most of it is crazy schedule.
I know he's only has Entourage ( pre produced) and Sherif and another movie. but he also filmed Signal this year (half of it was 2015).

August 13, 2016 at 8:35 PM

August 13, 2016 at 11:21 PM

UNREGISTERED

Because he has talents and started from the bottom. Ppl takes time to acknowledge him as a great actor. He is not the best looking and not kind of oppa that most ppl will fangirl, but he is great actor.

It is wonderful to think that Korean industry started to give more chances to talented actors instead of based on the appearances and good look solely. Who knows in the future most of hallyu stars will be actors with average looks but top in acting.

August 14, 2016 at 6:21 PM

August 16, 2016 at 11:05 AM

UNREGISTERED

I get what you mean, but you're talking as if the Korean industry was all about good looks instead of acting talent. That may be the case if you just watch dramas, but the real acting talents are all in movies. LMH, KSH, LJS, KWB, etc. have nothing on veteran Chungmuro actors like Song Kang Ho, Hwang Jung Min, Ha Jung Woo, Han Seok Kyu, and now even Jo Jin Woong and Gong Yoo. They're the real box office successes in SK. It's been like this from the very beginning of Korean cinema (acting>good looks) so it's pretty ignorant for you (and many others) to suggest the Korean public have only cared about good looks for a long time. Explain how someone like Song Kang Ho can become a box office king in Korea if Korean people only cared about good looks. We have brains, too, you know.

August 14, 2016 at 6:19 PM

UNREGISTERED

first, he's talented. 2nd he's hardworking. both are enough to made every directors send him a bunch of their script. i bet he choose the best one amongst the other good script.
the fact that he's not ordinary handsome adding to no.3 because it give more real and grounded to the filming aura.
it just that not every character has to be jang dong gun or Jung woosung...for examples, if they want to cast a spy, it can't be JDG or JWS because they would more attracht than JJW.

August 13, 2016 at 8:21 AM

UNREGISTERED

But then again, some celebs are looking for attention. They don't really care of privacy or if their private matters are exposed to public. They appear in many shows and entertainment news on daily basis so we get sick of them. LOL

August 13, 2016 at 6:06 AM

UNREGISTERED

Lee Sang Yeob is quite a scene stealer if he does supporting roles, so far. I noticed him first in Jang Ok Jung, and started to like him there. He was the main lead in weekend drama. But his cameos like in Signal, and Doctors are memorable ones. I liked him is Master of Noodles too. I think k he does well in heavy roles. Hope to see him become a main lead in a good drama soon.

August 13, 2016 at 6:17 PM

August 13, 2016 at 6:10 AM

UNREGISTERED

There's nothing wrong with dramabeans. They have plenty of information about plenty of dramas, but I notice they don't like to overlap with information that is easily found on other sites. You can't demand that someone you are not paying write specifically to your interests, but maybe if you ask nicely it will work?

August 13, 2016 at 7:09 AM

UNREGISTERED

I think every station airs them. Atleast i know MBC aired splish splash love. They are usually 1-4 episodes long. I personally prefer them over watching web dramas. Their quality is better than those. In case you need recommendations, Splish splash love is 2 episodes and Page Turner is 3 episodes. Both are really nice and were recapped at DB.

August 13, 2016 at 7:45 AM

UNREGISTERED

Thanks @viki and @wapz

ah... ok I think I understand... I was wondering if this is something they regularly do- as in show a whole bunch of drama specials in a row- and I just never noticed XD
But based on what you guys said I guess it's more of an ad hoc thing where the stations can choose to do one (or more) whenever they want...

August 13, 2016 at 7:13 AM

UNREGISTERED

I will never miss this drama.Jo Jin Wong is great actor.I always love kdrama with "ahjusshi".or "Sanmunim".be the leading role.I wish there will be more drama with medium and mature age actor or actress,then newbie actor or actress,with worst acting.

August 13, 2016 at 10:20 AM

UNREGISTERED

Man, Joon Young's mother really wants to see her ex-husband, huh? Well, it's the only way if your son decides to be a celebrity instead, haha.

Jang Hyun Sang is also a great actor, especially for characters of higher power. I just hope he isn't evil and nothing bad happens to him in that drama... (yes, there's Doctors, but anything can happen)